


Worth Saving

by raspberrymocha



Series: Raspberry does Ignoct Week [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Established Relationship, M/M, Running Away, brotherhood era, just dumb teen being dumb, that’s it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-07-31 12:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20114851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raspberrymocha/pseuds/raspberrymocha
Summary: Ignis will always protect Noctis, no matter the cost.Written for Ignoct Week Day 6 - They run way together





	Worth Saving

**Author's Note:**

> Not that happy with this one, but here you go.

Ignis is sixteen when he first becomes aware of the prophecy. Of course, like every child in Insomnia, he’d been told the story of how a Chosen King – Noctis – would rise up to banish the darkness. He knows the broad strokes, but none of the details – the hows or the whys. Almost as if by design. It’s a fact that he sets out to correct immediately.

“Half the Cosmogony is metaphor.” Noct says in between trying to distract him with his lips. It’s working more than Ignis cares to admit. “I don’t think anybody knows what it really means.” For someone who is is directly involved in the prophecy, Noctis doesn’t seem all that concerned with it.

Still, Ignis thinks that can’t possibly be true. Day and night, he pores over the words of the Astrals and scholars alike. He studies up on the ancient Lucian language, and all the nuances thereof. And when he’s done, he does it again, and again. Because surely, he must have misunderstood something somewhere. No matter how many different ways he looks at it, though, it all leads to the same conclusion.

“You’re going to die.” He’s aware that he must look crazy, blurting that out as soon as he walks in the door.

Noctis is laying on his stomach on the couch, a controller in one hand and a chip raises halfway to his mouth. He looks nothing like a king from legend.

“These things aren’t that bad for me.” He huffs affectionately.

“It’s not that.” Ignis has his arms full of his notes and he slams the down on the coffee table. He flips through the first book frantically, though he’s not sure what exactly he’s looking for. “You were right, it’s all metaphor. The trick is deciphering it.”

“You’ve, uh, really done your homework on this, huh?” Noctis sits up, leaning forward to look at the haphazard scrawl in the margins of some old book or another.

“I had to be sure. There’s a passage here… that talks about sacrifice.”

“Sure. Everyone knows the Draconian is all about that, but that could mean anything. I gave up junk food the last time we were supposed to ‘make a sacrifice to Bahamut’.” He bites into a chip with a loud crunch. Clearly, a noble sacrifice.

“Yes, but when you factor in the ring, which has always drained the lives of kings…” Ignis shuffles over to join Noctis on the couch, ignoring the way the other boy winces.

“How do you figure the ring’s involved?”

“It mentions the Draconian’s gift right here. And well, that could mean any number of things, but put into context, it’s almost certainly the ring.” He rambles on, breaking it down piece by piece. His voice shakes, but he presses on, needing Noct to understand.

Noctis is quiet as he absorbs this information, thumbing idly through the notes. “That’s crazy.” He says finally, turning back to his game, and effectively ending the conversation.

Ignis can’t let it go so easily. During the day, he continues to dig up what ever information he can on the prophecy, the gods, anything that might help. That might alter the course of fate. Nights, he spends tossing and turning, haunted by all that he has discovered.

It’s on one of these sleepless nights that he hears a noise outside his window, and sees a flash of blue light. Instantly, he knows what it must be and jumps out of bed to throw the window open. Noctis Lucis Caelum hangs there, one hand on the Engine Blade, his namesake the backdrop to this bizarre scene.

“I don’t,” He says, grip tightening on the word. In the moonlight, Ignis can just make out tear tracks on his rosy cheeks. “I don’t want to die.”

Ignis holds out a hand to pull the prince inside. Noctis lands against his chest with a dull thud, and they go toppling to the ground. As they lay there, Ignis wraps his arms around the other boy’s smaller frame, cradling him protectively against his own body.

“You won’t. I promise.” He says, though he has no authority to promise such things.

Eventually, they make their way to the bed, where they lay side by side. Noctis rests his head on Ignis’s shoulder, and he pretends not to notice the wetness seeping into his shirt. He still doesn’t know how to save Noct, but as he listens to his uneven breathing, he knows he can’t let this go on any longer. An idea pops into his head. It’s nothing like his usual carefully crafted plans, but it’s so crazy, it just might work.

“Noct,” He says, throat dry. “What if we… ran away?”

“What?” Noct’s head snaps up.

“The prophecy says that you have to put on the ring and let yourself be killed. What if you just… didn’t do that? What if we went somewhere that no one knew who we were, and no one could make you do anything. Everyone knows the gods are asleep, so what are they going to do about it?”

“If it’s that simple, why leave at all?”

“As long as you stay near the Crystal and the ring, you will never be safe.”

Some small part of Ignis realizes he’s being foolish. He’s spouting fanciful dreams with a certainty that he doesn’t really feel. One thought repeats itself over and over, though, louder and more insistent than all the others.

A world without Noctis in it is not worth saving.

“Alright. Let’s do it.” Noctis sits up in bed.

“Now?”

“You said yourself that I’m in danger here.” He’s already putting his shoes on before Ignis can argue. “I’m gonna pack a few things. I’ll meet you back here in a few.”

“Not here. There are too many Guards and Glaives. Let’s meet somewhere worse. Say, the convenience store near your place?”

Noctis nods, then wraps back through the same window he came in. Once he’s gone, Ignis drags himself out of bed. His school bag is hanging from his desk chair, and he dumps the books out unceremoniously. He won’t be needing them anymore, anyway. Then, with shaky hands, he stuffs as many clothes as he can in there, while also leaving room for necessities – deodorant, shampoo, that sort of thing. The entire time he wonders if he’s really going to do this?

All that doubt is expelled the moment he sees Noct again. Noct gives him a weak smile, and Ignis would give anything to erase the unease on his face. Even if it means defying kings and gods alike.

Hand in hand, they start to walk down the street. They don’t Noct’s car, or even Ignis’s. It would draw too much attention, so they catch the train instead. They ride it as close to the city limits as they can, and walk the rest of the way.

Ignis doesn’t know where, exactly, they should go. He knows there’s an outpost not too far from the Crown City, but he also knows that one of His Majesty’s old friends lives there. He’s never met Cid Sophiar, but he’s sure the man would report them in a heartbeat. Still, he’s sure that they’ll manage. As long as he and Noct are together, they can overcome anything.

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7 should be up either tomorrow or the day after.


End file.
